NEW YORK: Considering the recent surge in the number of deaths of cyclists in the city, Bill de Blasio, New York’s Mayor, is planning to launch a five-year, $58.4 million plan which would see the city constructing bike lanes, redesigning accident prone intersections, and stepping up enforcement to ensure better safety for cyclists.
The initiative is termed ‘The Green Wave Bicycle Plan’ and aims to add 30 miles, 10 greater than the current 20 miles, of new protected bike lanes annually.
As a part of the plan, ten priority districts which include Bay Ridge, Sheepshead Bay, Brownsville, Midwood, Jackson Heights, Corona and East Elmhurst would get 75 miles of new bike lanes built in the coming three years. The areas where the new construction is intended have lackluster pre-existing bike infrastructure and hot spots for cyclist fatalities.
Of the 17 total cyclists who have died in city streets this year, twelve of them have been killed in Brooklyn. A total of ten cyclists were killed citywide in all of last year.